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Knightley Family History

Knightley Surname Meaning

from Knightley in Gnosall (Staffs) which is recorded as Cnitteley in the 13th century.

The place-name derives from Old English cniht ‘knight young man retainer’ (genitive plural cnihta) + lēah ‘wood woodland clearing’.

Source: The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland, 2016


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Where is the Knightley family from?

You can see how Knightley families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Knightley family name was found in the USA, and the UK between 1880 and 1920. The most Knightley families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 52 Knightley families living in London. This was about 44% of all the recorded Knightley's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Knightley families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Knightley surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Knightley ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Oddman and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Knightley. 25% of Knightley men worked as an Oddman and 79% of Knightley women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Knightley were General Labourer and Assurance Clerk.

View Census Data for Knightley | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

England shown, Canada data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • Oddman
    25%
  • Builders Labourer
    25%
  • Old Age Pensioner
    25%
  • General Labourer
    25%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    79%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    6%
  • Housewife
    4%
  • Assurance Clerk
    4%

What Knightley family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 7,000 census records available for the last name Knightley. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Knightley census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Knightley

Passenger Lists

There are 464 immigration records available for the last name Knightley. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Knightley immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 375 military records available for the last name Knightley. For the veterans among your Knightley ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Knightley military records

You've only scratched the surface of Knightley family history

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What is the average Knightley lifespan?

Between 1967 and 2004, in the United States, Knightley life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1989, and highest in 1997. The average life expectancy for Knightley in 1967 was 67, and 83 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Knightley

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Knightley ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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